All the Money in the World

Chapter 11

*Just About a Week Later*

Sitting at the counter in Scoops and Sweets, Katie skimmed the headlines online while sipping her coffee. Customers came in and out to grab coffees or something a bit fancier but Katie hardly looked away from her computer screen.

"Morning," Alec said as he sat on the stool beside her.

She glanced at him and smiled. "Alicia," she said to the counter girl, "Another coffee please. Black."

"How are you?" He asked her quietly.

Katie shrugged. "I don't know. Everything feels so surreal I'm kind of in a daze."

"I'm sure it does," he said sympathetically.

"Oh, uh, could you do some looking into my dad?"

"Your dad?" He asked, clearly surprised by the request.

Katie nodded, "Yeah. You know, birth certificates and marriage licenses," she explained.

"I can, but why?"

Hesitating, Katie decided to tell Alec about her visitor. "Some asshole came around claiming to be my half brother. I know it's probably some scam but I'd rather be sure before I rip him a new one."

Alec grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. "You sure you wanna know?"

"I'm sure," she said confidently. "I wanna know."

Nodding, he removed his hand from hers and continued their conversation. "You going to be up there later?" Alec asked after taking a sip of coffee.

"Yeah, you?"

"I'm meeting them all up there," he explained. "It was Stahl, she set it up."

Katie turned to look at him with shock and disgust on her face. "Stahl? Why? How? She's a fucking fed!" Katie's voice rose steadily with every word.

"Shh," Alec hushed her.

"Sorry," she said quietly. "How do you know?"

"Visitor logs, security footage," he said. "Turns out she was busy visiting lots of felons."

Katie's forehead scrunched up. "Who else?"

"What do you know about Clay Morrow?"

"Oh," she drew her head hack. "Nothing. I thought he was actually dead for a while. Turns out he's just dead to them."

"Usually that's how it goes," Alec sipped his coffee. "Stahl saw him twice, at least," he explained. "I'm going to need you to ask Tara about him, see what she knows, because I'm not expecting complete honesty or many details when I sit down with Jax."

Katie nodded, "Yeah sure. I wanna know now anyway."

"We can compare notes over breakfast tomorrow. My treat."

"You're sweet," she kissed his cheek as he attempted to pay for his coffee. "You don't need to do that, Alec."

"Let me," he said firmly. "Bring Charlotte tomorrow. I miss her."

"She'll be thrilled," Katie laughed. "I'll see you tonight at the hospital, I guess?"

"I don't know," he huffed. "At this rate I could be dead by then."

"Hey," she snapped. "Not funny."

Alec shrugged and headed out of the shop and down the street toward where he parked. Finishing her coffee Katie dreaded the busy, and no doubt emotional, day she had ahead of her.